Falling Angels
by moms5thchild
Summary: Chief Ironside travels back to Sonoma County to help an old friend solve a series of unexplained deaths.
1. Chapter 1

As I promised some of my dear friends here is another Ironside story and this time not a one shot. I thank my beta reader, darediva, for being a much better at spelling and grammar than I and helping me here. Also, I do not own nor make money from my fan fiction stories about the television show, Ironside, this is for fun. Besides, I've always liked big men, so much more to love.

**Falling Angels**

Chapter One

Saint Mary's Hospital, Sonoma County, California

July 15, 1970

_0o0o0_

_Hail Mary, full of grace the lord is with thee,_

_Blessed art thou among women,_

_And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus._

Sister Agatha rolled her rosary through her fingers, caressing each bead with reverence and love. What had just happened? The hospital had expected 91 year old Sister Bernard would pass away during the night. Yet when morning came there she was stronger, brighter and ready to live another 10 years just to fool the doctors.

_Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners;_

_Now, and at the hour of our death. Amen._

She moved to the next bead and look down at the face of the nursing sister there. Sister Constance was only twenty two years old, just finished her nurse's training and yet to take her final vows, yet it was Sister Constance who passed away. And Sister Constance wasn't the first young nun to die so unexpectedly. Agatha felt deep in her heart that Sister Constance would not be the last.

"Sister, we must take her now and this time there has to be an autopsy. You'll get the results back after it's done."

"Thank you Sheriff, you have been very kind." The nun felt old beyond her years; old, useless and helpless. Three young medical sisters had died at her hospital in the last five months. Sister Agatha believed in God, miracles and the Catholic Church but she did not believe in coincidence. The deaths of these young women was not a coincidence, it was murder.

0o0o0

Officer Fran Belding felt like she didn't fit in. Ed Brown and Mark Sanger knew their place on the staff. They'd worked with Chief Ironside for years now and gave this office one of the highest solved rates in the San Francisco police department. Chief Ironside was gruff and sarcastic with the men, but not with her. Fran felt every time the chief looked at her he found her wanting. Beautiful, competent Officer Eve Whitfield was gone and replaced by plain, inexperienced Officer Belding.

Fran's hand hit the phone before it finished its first ring, "Chief Ironside's office. He's out right now but can I take a message. Visitors? While the chief should be back soon, he's at Commissioner Randall's office. I suppose they can wait here, so send them up."

Fran tried to tidy up the table before she checked to make sure the coffee was still drinkable. She hadn't even asked who was coming, but she hoped the Chief was expecting them because he didn't like surprises.

0o0o0

Robert T. Ironside was getting tired of this dog and pony show. Every time one of Dennis Randall's society sycophants had another one of their special get togethers they whined until Dennis smiled and promised the Chief would handle security. It was bad enough to when the 'small favour' might actually need his input. This one didn't. Ironside couldn't get away from the Police Commissioner fast enough.

"I hope you're ready for a miracle because Dennis expects me to tap dance around his friends," Ironside harangued his sergeant; his voice rising with each word, "his flamin' friends and their flamin' committees that want protection with my name on it instead of doing their own flamin' homework. How the flamin' hell am I supposed to work miracles for the rich and annoying and keep this city on an even keel with a staff of only three." It wasn't until he'd reached the bottom of the ramp that he saw two nuns sitting at his dinner table.

"Robert, I must confess I didn't expect this kind of a welcome," Sister Agatha said as she rose from her seat.

The Chief rolled up to the nun, not ready to stop blowing off steam. "Sister, you're the last person I expected to see sitting at my table, drinking my coffee and keeping my officer from her job," and then he shook his head and smiled as he reached for her hand. "You know I did not expect to hear your dulcet tones in my little home. What brings you all the way here?"

"Believe me when I say it isn't for your coffee, Robert, but I have something I must talk to you about; something that can't wait." Sister Agatha turned to her companion, "Sister Joseph, perhaps Sergeant Brown can show you around the building. You can think of it as a social justice lesson."

Ed Brown looked at the young nun and then at his boss and then at Sister Agatha hoping someone would say ha ha; just a joke. His boss simply nodded while the older nun smiled her knowing smile.

"Come this way, sister," Ed stretched out his hand to lead his charge on a makeshift tour, "what would you like to see first?"

"Could we start with the holding cells, I haven't seen them from the outside looking in since before Selma, Alabama."

Brown did a double take as he opened the office door, "you're going to have to explain that one to me some time. We'll start there and work our way up."

The Chief glared at his old nurse. "Now that the children are gone, just what in blue blazes do you want from me, Sister?"

Sister Agatha just rolled her eyes and resumed her seat, "Right now, I have only suspicions, which is why I've come to speak to you." She reached down and pulled out a battered briefcase that had been tucked under the table. "I want you to look at these files."

The Chief reached across and tried to wrest the files from Sister Agatha's hand; but she held on tight. "If this is just the imaginings of an old woman I want to know as quickly as possible. If its not, I have many young women I need to protect and _I will_ protect them."

"Sister, I'd do anything for you, your boss is a whole lot more powerful than mine."

0o0o0

Ed Brown had to step up his pace to keep up with the young nun. She was wearing one of the new, short habits and a pair of heavy walking shoes yet Sister Joseph sped ahead. It didn't help that she bypassed the elevator and took the stairs.

"Have you always been a police officer, Sergeant Brown?" She smiled as she opened the stairway door.

"I was in the Marines." Oh Lord, Ed knew he already sounded breathy. "I served in Viet Nam and Germany."

Sister Joseph flashed Ed an envious smile. "Oh, I've never been further north than Chicago or further south than Tijuana. I used to dream of about travelling around the world." She started running down the stairs. "You know, a slow boat to China, the road to Morocco, Roman holiday."

"Well," Ed puffed, "you've gone to the movies."

"Where do you think my old dreams came from?"

"What are your new dreams," Ed shot back.

"I'm working on those. So, on which floor are the holding cells?"

0o0o0

Brown and Sister Joseph had finally finished their tour of the basement with its intake and holding cells when they turned the corner to find Fran Belding waiting for them.

"The chief wants to know what's keeping you. I quote it doesn't take that long to tour the whole damn building unquote."

"All it's my fault," the young nun said, "I'm usually on the other side of the bars. It's very interesting to see how 'the pigs' do their job." She giggled at the astonished faces in front of her. "My parents and I marched in Selma and helped register Negro voters in Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia. Believe me when I say I've been behind bars before. Well, if we have to get upstairs quickly I guess we'd better take the elevator this time."

Fran smiled as the young sister walked past her and then looked at Ed and rolled her eyes. Brown pretended to wipe the sweat from his brow but quickstepped to catch up with Sister Joseph.

"Are you coming, Officer," the young nun called from inside the elevator.

"Yes, I'm coming, wait for me," now Fran double stepped so she wouldn't be left behind.

0o0o0

"Well, here come the happy wanderers," the Chief called over his shoulder, "what took you so long?"

"Sister Athletica decided to take the stairs," Ed puffed dramatically and winked at the young nun.

Sister Agatha scowled, "you must be terribly out of shape if you can't keep up with Sister Joseph. She's just getting over a badly sprained ankle. Robert, you had better keep track of your wheelchair before some else tries to take it away."

Ironside scowled at his sergeant; even as a joke he could not imagine Ed trapped the way he was in his chair. As he turned back to Sister Agatha the Chef rapped on the files on the table, "You leave these with me; I want a few colleagues to check them out."

The older nun rose and looked down at her most memorable patient. "Just keep it under wraps, mister big shot police man. I have a reputation in Sonoma for handling my own problems."

"So why did you come here?"

"I am handling this problem by handing it to you." Sister Agatha smiled at Chief Ironside. "I hope you are a better consultant than you are a cribbage player."

"Anything for you, Boss," Ironside smiled and pushed himself back as Sister Agatha joined Sister Joseph and left.

"Sister Agatha's quite a character," Fran said as she started to clean off the table. "Where did you ever meet her?"

"Sonoma," was the Chief's short reply as he rolled over to his desk, "Ed, I want three copies of everything in this file. Fran, get Commissioner Randall for me; I will not have time to oversee security for the Fine Arts Museum benefit. God himself has delivered me from that duty."


	2. Chapter 2

See, you didn't have to wait months this time. I want to thank darediva for her betaing and thank her for the adbentures we have when we get together. This year Louisville; next year Columbus and I may actually be able to remember more contractions next year.

Thank everyone who reviewed my story... even the ones who weren't born when Ironside was on the air. He's a tad angsty in this chapter but the Chief improve.

**Falling Angels **

**Chapter Two**

Ironside rubbed the bridge of his nose. Too much coffee made a decent night's sleep impossible and Dennis' complaining only added another notch up on the Chief's aggravation level. He had his team studying Sister Agatha's files all day and they couldn't see a thing that said murder. Just coincidence, just one of those unfortunate things that happened when someone least expects it. Three young women had died. As much as the nun wanted to believe that someone had killed them it might just be God's hand. This whole sad business was adding to the pounding in his head.

"God has a rotten sense of humour." The Chief pushed himself away from the table. God's idea of a joke was to give Robert T. Ironside everything he'd ever wanted in the police force and then take t away with a five cent piece of lead. If God could do that to him He could make three young women's lives short.

Mark stuck his head into the main office. "You say something boss?"

"Yes, I said it's time for another coffee." He watched as Mark sauntered into the main room; four years had changed him from an angry teen to a determined young man. Soon Mark would be a lawyer and the world would open up to him. Eve had married that horse trainer and moved far from San Francisco and left a bigger hole in the office that the Chief had expected. Fran Belding was so many things that Eve was not but Fran had her years ahead of her to learn to be a good cop. So many changes in his team; their world was getting bigger as the Chief's seemed to be getting smaller and smaller each day. Ironside shook his head and told himself to get back in gear.

"Hey, Chief," Mark stopped and examined the photos on the table. "Who are the penguins?"

"They are not penguins," Ironside's humour was not improving and Mark's idea of a joke wasn't helping. "Those young women are some of Sister Agatha's order."

Mark raised his hands in surrender and took a step back; when the Chief was like this it didn't pay to get too close. "I'm just saying that nuns don't dress like that anymore. There are two in my law classes and you can actually see their legs almost up to the knee. You can even see their hair. I haven't seen any nuns dress like that for a while, except some of the old ones like Sister Agatha."

Ironside pushed back to the table. The pictures lying there were portraits, probably taken when these young women had taken their temporary vows. The long black habits with the starched white wimples were anachronisms and the Chief didn't realize what was right in front of his face. Maybe he was an anachronism too.

"Don't you have somewhere to be tonight? Don't come back too late, we have to get to Saint Mary's first thing in the morning and check out some penguins."

0o0o0

The evening slipped slowly away and Sister Agatha decided to make her final check of the patients on the ICU ward. Everything was state of the art at St. Mary's Hospital. All the glass bottles for blood, plasma and nutrients were slowly being replaced with single use vinyl bags to guarantee complete sterility in each unit. All the life monitoring devices were hooked into anti-eye strain amber and white CRT units at the nurse's station. By 1972 St. Mary's Hospital would be the most advanced critical care hospital outside San Francisco.

Sister Agatha strode in, grabbed the nearest clipboard as she passed the nursing station and headed for cubicle four. There she checked the tension on the traction that held the teen-ager's legs straight and smiled at the young girl. "Miss Caron, I see that you'll be leaving us for a regular bed soon."

The young woman smiled as much as her bruised face and wired jaw allowed.

"I think you'll be much more comfortable away from all these sick people because you are obviously getting better. You just have to promise me to watch who you get into a car with; especially after a football game." The old nun gently patted the girl's shoulder.

The girl looked sheepish but managed a garbled "thanks" before Sister Agatha headed back to the nursing station replacing that clipboard for another.

"Sister, there's a message for you," the young nurse handed a memo to the nun.

Agatha sighed, there were two more patients she wanted to check on before they were asleep, but if she could keep the call short… calls were never short. Relatives needed soothing, doctors expected complete obedience to their orders and emergencies demanded immediate priority. How could she be in two places at once? It was better to get the phone call taken care of first.

555-1737… there was only one ring before it was answered. "St. Mary's Hospital..."

"You don't deserve to use the Blessed Mother's name." rasped the angry voice. "You fill the halls with tramps and you trample on the memory of all the sainted women who once served God and man. The Bible says, 'if thy eye offends thee, pluck it out!' I will remove all that offends the sight of the Lord. This is your last chance to fix this deplorable situation. You have twenty four hours before the sight of this ungodly shame is erased from your house of healing."

"Hello, hello," Sister Agatha tried to keep the panic from her voice as the electric buzz of a disconnected call was her only answer.

0o0o0

Mark was still out at eleven so Ironside stopped trying to watch TV and headed to bed, but sleep did not come. The coffee overload was not halted by the whiskey chaser he'd allowed himself. The Chief finally gave in, took a sleeping pill and hoped the combination of pills and booze was enough to put him to sleep for the night and not permanently. The ringing of the telephone pulled him from his semi-narcotic haze as he swung his hand out, knocking the receiver off the telephone base to bounce on the floor.

"Blast," the Chief swore, "Mark, get the flamin' phone." But Mark _still_ wasn't there. Finally Ironside pushed himself up, reached over and knocked the phone completely off the nightstand.

"Hello, hello…" the tinny voice was barely audible from the floor, "is there anybody there? I know this is the right number, Chief Ironside—Mark-somebody. Hello… hello."

By the time Ironside hauled himself out of bed and got to the telephone the only thing coming out of the receiver was the dial tone. No matter how much he wanted to fling the damn thing away from him the Chief simply hung up and put the phone back on the nightstand. Now he had to decide if it was going to be worthwhile getting back into bed. Damn it, this wasn't the way his life was supposed to be. God's little joke on him just wasn't fair.

0o0o0

_Damn, phone, _Ed Brown reached for the offending item and tried to sound like he wasn't ready to kill whoever was on the other end of the call.

"Sergeant Brown, I need your help immediately."

"Sister Agatha!" Ed levered himself into a sitting position, "what is going on?"

The nun was in command mode, "I have tried to contact Chief Ironside and he did not answer the phone. Sister Joseph said you would know where the Chief was and be able to get him here. We have received a threatening phone call and I believe whoever made this threat means business."

"Slow down Sister," Ed clamped the receiver to his ear with his shoulder as the grabbed for his pants. "This could just be a crank call. I'll find the Chief and get back to you tonight. Bye." _Oh god, I hung up on a nun. I hung up on THAT nun; the Chief was gonna kill him. Too damn bad, at midnight she was lucky I didn't tell her to go jump in the bay. Where did I take off my shoes? Lord, I'm not Catholic and at this rate I'll never live long enough become one even if I wanted to._

0o0o0

"Hold that," Ed Brown scrambled to get on the elevator before the door closed and almost ran into Mark Sanger's arms.

"What are you doing here this time of night?"

If looks could kill, Mark would be on dead. "Where the flamin' hell have you been? Sister Agatha thinks the sky is falling and she can't get hold of the Chief so I'm the next on her list of people to wake up in the middle of the flamin' night. So here I am finding out why you or the Chief didn't answer her. Damn, I'm not even Catholic and I'm scared of her… where the hell have you been anyway?"

"Hold on, man, I had dinner at Aunt Ruby's and then school. We're beginning estate law. I actually went out for coffee after class with Kandy." A wide smile broke our across Mark's face. "I told you about Kandy with a K, didn't I?"

"Oh… yeah, Kandy," Ed smirked as he thought of Mark's classmate, "guess its lucky you made it back at all. The thing is the Chief isn't answering the phone and Sister Agatha is now getting threatening phone calls. It might me a crank call but…"

"With three dead nuns it might not be…well, top floor; location of records storage and Robert T. Ironside."

Mark pushed open the door thinking he'd find the whole office dark. Instead every light was on flooding the place with unnatural brightness. "Chief," he rushed down the ramp and threw his books on the dining table. "Chief," his head snapped toward the unmade, empty bed.

"Over here, Mark," Ironside's familiar growl brought Mark and Ed rushing to the leather couch under the window. There sat the Chief with his chair pushed out of reach but a bottle of scotch close at hand. "Oh, I see you found Sergeant Brown in your travels tonight. Good, I hate to drink alone and you aren't twenty one yet. Come on, Ed, pull up a chair and join me."

Mark rolled his eyes, pushed the wheelchair up to the couch and settled into it. "Boss man, I'm over twenty one now, remember. We went to Sneaky Pete's."

"Oh yeah, better get two glasses—and a full bottle. This is one dead soldier." Ironside tossed it carelessly from him and smiled when it smashed on the floor. "I'll have to get someone to clean that up or I'll get a flat."

"Chief," Ed shook his head as he stepped over the glass, "don't you think you've had enough."

"Or what, Sergeant, are you going to arrest me for drunk driving? I guess I'll just have to stay here until I sober up." The Chief raised his voice, "which will be too damn soon if Mark doesn't get here with another bottle."

Brown just shook his head; he hadn't seen the Chief like this since an Irish wake for Detective Nick O'Toole years ago. Then it was a sloppy, sentimental bunch of the old cops swapping tales and singing songs. This was rush to a like oblivion that Ironside hadn't reached yet.

Mark finally showed up with a pot of coffee and four mugs. "How about some of this instead," he said as he handed the Chief one of the mugs. It went sailing through the air to join the bottle in fragments on the floor. Mark waved another mug in front of Ironside, "just letting you know this is your favourite mug."

Ironside grabbed the mug and held it while Mark filled it with strong, black coffee. "I am never taking you to Sneaky Pete's again."

"Yeah, it closed down last year so I guess that's a given. Ed?" Mark waved and then filled another mug for Brown. "Did you tell the Chief yet?"

Ironside tilted his head to give a blurry eyed stare to the sergeant, "tell the Chief what?"

"Sister Agatha called; she got a threatening phone call tonight. The Sonoma Police think it's just a crank call but the Sister is sure it's her murderer. She wants to know why you aren't answering your phone."

Ironside grimaced as he sipped the strong, black coffee. So that had been who was calling him in the middle of the night. He scrubbed his hand over his face and took another large swallow of coffee. Just how sober did he have to be before calling that old nun back?


	3. Chapter 3

Has it really been thirty eight years since this show went off the air? Still, my beta reader checks my grammar and I thank her and I also thank all those who still remember and enjoy this show.

**Falling Angels **

Chapter 3

Sister Agatha walked. Looking calm she covered every hallway, corridor and room in St. Mary's. Why was it so many people believed this was only a hospital, she thought as she paced off the sprawling set of buildings. Agatha checked the nursing school and the residence that housed the sisters. One by one she checked each door; to see if light leaked out under the door, if noise filtered into the air, making sure that each time she checked a door all was well inside.

She stepped through the double doors of the emergency entrance and drew in a deep breath. Just five minutes, if she could only have five minutes to stop, relax and let the rest of the world and its problems go away she would be a happy woman. Agatha stepped onto the grass and closed her eyes; maybe the peace of the night would calm her soul.

"Sister," someone called from behind her. Sister Agatha didn't even get the chance to turn and see who wanted her.

0o0o0

Ironside leaned heavily on his elbow and dialled Sister Agatha again and grimaced painfully as the phone rang and rang and rang. Where the hell was that annoying woman?

Mark didn't even open his eyes when he raised his head off the arm of the couch "Are we heading to Sonoma tonight?"

The Chief blew out a long tired breath, "not tonight, Sister is probably in bed sleeping, something you and I should be doing. Where's Ed?"

"Sleeping in my bed."

"Well, he's got his own bed in his own apartment, tell him to go home and then you go to bed. I'll see both of you in the morning."

Damn, he was awake, he was almost sober and he wanted to be in Sonoma and not San Francisco. Ironside groaned as he pushed back from the table. Well, at least Sister Agatha was safe in her bed and all would soon be right with her world.

0o0o0

It was nine A.M. when Chief Ironside's van pulled into the parking lot at St. Mary's Hospital in Sonoma. Bleary eyed and hung over Ironside felt the world tilt as the lift dropped him down to the asphalt, the thud of it's landing jarring him from his head to that nebulous zone near his waist. If that damn nun didn't have something to say when he cornered her he was going to wring her scrawny neck, wimple and all.

"Chief," Officer Belding's bright voice boomed against his eardrums, "did you phone ahead?"

"I was phoned last night and I came running up here as fast as my wheels could carry me, Officer. So shut up and push."

Fran shut up and pushed. Why Ed and Mark got to stay in town was a mystery to her, but she usually liked it when she and the Chief went solo. Usually, but not today; today the drive here felt like a journey to hell and she didn't even know what sin she had committed. They hadn't even made it to the door when Father Dugan sprinted up to meet them.

"Thank God you're here, Robert," his hands clenched tight, "we just found her about an hour and a half ago and now she's in surgery."

"Slow down Father," Ironside growled, "what are you talking about?"

Dugan was surprised, "didn't the sheriff notify you? Sister Agatha was found by the dumpsters this morning, unconscious. It looks like she slipped and hit her head against the corner of one. We have no idea how long she was unconscious and only by God's grace is she's still alive."

0o0o0

Fran and the Chief sat in Father Dugan's office nursing bad coffee and waiting for someone; a nurse, a doctor, anyone to tell them how Agatha was fairing. Damn, the one night Ironside decided to throw a private pity party one of the few persons he truly respected needed him. He should have come immediately instead of nine hours too late and finding Sister Agatha had been felled by blunt force trauma.

"Robert," Dugan walked in with Sister Joseph, "the surgery is finished. The surgeons said it was a depressed fracture. They removed a part of her skull to relieve the pressure," he stopped after Sister Joseph elbowed him sharply.

"We'll keep it simple, stup-rrr, Father" the young nun grinned. "Sister Agatha is unconscious right now. We should all pray for her rapid recovery." She approached Ironside and laid her hand on his shoulder. "Sheriff Gomez is treating this as suspicious and has sent a deputy over to photograph the scene. I think he is beginning to think all these accidents are more than a co-incident. Would you like to go and meet the Sheriff? I am sure he would be willing to listen to what you have to say."

Ironside shook his head, "I'll just stay here for now. Officer Belding will be more than happy to speak to the Sheriff."

"I will?"

"Yes, you will," the Chief glowered, "and you will keep me appraised if anything unusual turns up. Clear?"

"Crystal clear, Chief," Fran grabbed her bag and scurried away from her boss. Jeez, she didn't know what was going on but hers was not to reason why.

The Chief turned to Father Dugan, "I take it if she was found this morning there are no witnesses and every reason to believe this wasn't an accident."

"You take correctly," the priest said.

"And sister, can you bring me the files on the three sisters Agatha believed were murdered."

"So you believe her now." Sister Joseph said as she tilted her head to check out the red rimmed eyes of the man in the wheelchair.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I'm might as well check out what was bothering her. It gives me something to do while I wait to talk to Agatha."

0o0o0

Ed Brown made it into the office by nine A.M. rehearsing his reactions to a hung over Ironside. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen the Chief hung over before it was just he hadn't seen it since the shooting. He thought the Chief had gotten a handle on what had happened to him. If it was the appearance of that damn nun who set his boss off he was going to strangle her himself.

"Coffee's on the stove," Mark called from his bedroom, "then we're supposed to head to Sonoma."

"Don't tell me Sister Agatha dragged him back because of her murder fantasies."

"Only if her fantasies included the good sister hitting her head and needing major surgery that might not save her life; so you can shut your mouth and drink fast; the Chief wants us at the sheriff's office now, so we're already late."

The coffee, the car ride and the arrival in Sonoma compressed in Ed's head to one big ball of regret. He liked the bossy nun and the thought of anybody possibly hurting her made his blood boil.

0o0o0

"Officer Belding, we have enough personnel here to handle our investigation into a simple accident. Just because Ironside sends in one of his pets doesn't mean we need you."

Fran quaked inside but stood strong in front of the tall uniformed man. "Sheriff Gomez, the Chief does not want to take over any investigation outside his jurisdiction but he has a very deep connection with St. Mary's Hospital and especially with Father Dugan and Sister Agatha. He is simply offering you his staff for you to use."

"Yeah," the Sheriff ground out, "and that deep connection only gets him the right to visit that old busybody if or when she wakes up."

"Felix, you cannot treat this young lady so cavalierly," Fran turned to see a tall, handsome man walk to Gomez and heave a dramatic sigh. "Excuse my cousin, Officer, there are times when he forgets that all police are brothers… and sisters."

"Officer Belding, my cousin Dr. Raoul Gomez-DiCastro. He is a plastic surgeon and a councillor for our town. No doubt a first step to finer political advancements."

DiCastro smiled down at his shorter cousin and then turned his deep brown eyes to Fran. "We should be honoured to have the great Chief Ironside back in Sonoma. The Sisters of St. Joseph are fine nursing nuns and Sister Agatha a legend here. Her hands have pulled many souls from the jaws of death and set them on the road back to health."

Fran could see Sheriff Gomez roll his eyes at his cousin's florid speak. Heck, if she could have Fran would have rolled her eyes too. Purple political prose hid far too many black lies. Oh well, time to play a little politics herself.

"Thank you, Doctor, I promise not to step on your cousin's toes."

"Oh, step on his toes all you want; just do not step on mine." DiCastro smiled showing all his straight white teeth, his cleft chin and not one iota of humour in his eyes.

0o0o0

Ironside pushed himself up using the arms of his chair. The last thing he needed was a pressure sore taking away his mobility and trapping him in bed; either at home or in a hospital. Damn doctor wouldn't let him stay in her room while they examined Sister A. Damn nurse who smiled at him like he was a half wit just because he rolled rather than walked. Damn that nun who went and got her skull cracked after she dragged him here because she worried about the young ones under her care. Damn, damn damn.

_A short chapter, but I promise more will happen in the next chapter. _


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you for all your lovely reviews. Belgium, Switzerland and France I send you all thanks for caring for this story. I thanks my tireless beta reader, Alice, and hope she finds it in her heart to keep me on her good side.

**Falling Angels**

Chapter Four

Sheriff Gomez drove behind St. Mary's Hospital and parked beside his deputy's station wagon. This view made him smile; his men were working the area with a savage determination. They were all volunteers working off the clock on a vague suspicion that someone had hurt Sister Agatha. Most of the men on his team were Hispanic and Catholic and they didn't like even the possibility that someone would hurt a nun. These men didn't know Sister Agatha had come to him weeks ago with suspicions about the deaths of some nuns and he had brushed her off. So she goes and complains to that over grown go cart cop and then she gets shut up; maybe for good. It was enough to make Gomez worry the other sister's deaths.

"Sheriff," the voice of Deputy Hernandez startled him, "we found something here you gotta see."

Gomez walked over and plucked the offending item from the man's hand. Oh God, just what he didn't need right now. "Good work, Hernandez. This is out of the ordinary; but there still could be hundreds of these in California. I just hope that if someone actually did strike the nun this will lead us to that person."

0o0o0

Ironside finally had the all available files of the three dead nuns spread across the sofa in Father Dugan's office. It was the first time he had actually studied them with anything approaching a critical eye. The three young women all had busy jobs within the hospital which made wearing of the new shorter habits easier to work in. They also had communications in their rooms from other hospitals; family members and what looked like past loves that were hidden from all others. This was not something he expected from dedicated nuns… maybe there weren't as dedicated as it seemed.

"Coffee," an elderly woman placed a thick, white mug in front of the Chief. "We need you with bright eyes and a bushy tail, right?" She gazed into his blood shot eyes. "Right now only your tongue is bushy, am I right? Of course I am. So… drink your coffee."

What could the Chief do? He drank the coffee.

0o0o0

"Officer Belding, your compatriots are here," Deputy Hernandez smirked as a tired Ed Brown stumbled in behind Mark Sanger, "these are San Francisco's finest, of course."

Fran stiffened at the obvious sarcasm of the man. "My compatriots have volunteered to help. We're…"

"I have just the job for your friends." The deputy made a quick call to the Sheriff and then smiled. "We don't have any solid evidence of a crime, but perhaps if the contents of the dumpsters were examined we might have a definitive answer. They do need more warm bodies to assist search so I hope you all brought some work clothing."

Ed Brown rolled his eyes, there was not going to any rest for the wicked today. He just wished he knew what sin he'd ever committed to deserve this punishment.

Soon Ed and Mark were practically shoulder to shoulder in the medical waste dumpster. Thankfully the hospital provided coveralls, gloves and masks to make the job safer if not pleasanter.

"I think this is what they call penance," Mark drawled through his mask.

Brown raised his head up and groaned. "What would a clue look like in this mess?"

"It might look like bloody rebar," Mark said as he held up the offending piece of metal for his work mate to see.

0o0o0

"Chief Ironside, it is strong, black. I got this from the volunteer's room because there it is real coffee." The old woman smirked at him. "I do not know why the cafeteria serves that chicory laced swill."

"Thank you, Mrs. Rosenberg." The Chief sipped the hot black liquid and smiled. "This is excellent."

"Well, everybody around here is afraid to complain about the coffee because they just tiptoe around nuns. They all think they are like plaster saints come down from heaven to cure their ills and they are as human as me or you. Oy, what the patients don't know about nuns."

The Chief smiled. "Please, sit down. I need a new perspective and I think you can supply that." He waited for the woman to sit down and was not surprised when she first looked at the papers scattered on Father Duggan's desk. Mrs. Rosenberg turned the pictures of the young sisters round so she could look at them when she sat.

"Such good girls," the woman looked up at the Chief. "Its not like it used to be, you know. Once to be a nun was the only thing a girl who did not want to be a wife could be and stay a good girl. Well, Catholic girls. My papa was a teacher at the polytechnic and he wanted all his children to have a job skill. Eight children and we were all teachers, doctors or engineers." Mrs. Rosenberg smiled as she finally sat down, "I was the baby and I had almost finished my education in electrical engineering when the Nazis closed the universities to Jews. I finished my studies in the underground school and I married my teacher. Oh, it was so scandalous at the time but it was just what I wanted to be married. The times were going from bad to worse and I wanted to squeeze in as much life as I could as fast as I could."

"I have some idea what that might be like. I married my high school sweet heart and enlisted in the Navy on December 8th, 1941." The Chief set down the empty coffee cup and got back to business. "What comes to mind about these three sisters?"

"Smart women; they could have had anything they wanted. Why hurt them?" Mrs. Rosenberg rubbed her eyes. "I read lots of mystery books. What is it they always say you look for in a crime? Motive, means and opportunity, I think."

The Chief looked like he had been kicked. "Thank you, Mrs. Rosenberg, for reminding me to begin at the beginning. What I need to find first is the motive; the rest will fall into place."

"See, I am good for more than coffee."

0o0o0

"Sheriff Gomez," Fran waited for the call to be transferred to the man. "Sheriff, this is Officer Belding. We have found something hidden in the hospital waste."

Gomez kept his right hand in his pocket, fingering the bit of evidence his own deputies had found. It was another problem he would have to face, but right now he had these two to distract. "Good, you wait for one of my deputies to come pick it up. We will deal with it right away."

"Actually, we took it to the lab in the hospital to be properly readied for transport. It could have any kind of bacteria or germs on it and we are trying to keep anyone who handles it healthy." Fran looked at the pile of discarded work clothes her partners had used in the search. An orderly had bagged them ready for sterilization while Ed and Mark showered. "It's a piece of rebar. The lab tech has already checked the stain and confirmed it is human blood and is sending it to the state laboratory to make sure it is analyzed properly. He says that is your usual procedure here anyway since this is the only lab near by."

Gomez rolled his eyes. He had no control over these people. If he didn't handle things the ravings of one old nun would ruin his life and job in Sonoma County and she was now the least of his worries. "Thank you again. Why don't you go back to Chief Ironside? Perhaps he has news on Sister Agatha." With that he hung up the phone with more force than he intended.

Mark came out of the men's changing room. "Who was that," he said about the voice as clearly as if he held the phone.

"Sheriff Gomez," Fran dropped the receiver back in its cradle, "I think we've been fired."

"Thank God," the men chorused.

"Yeah," Fran smiled, "but now we have to face our boss."

Ed just shook his head, "you just had to spoil our good mood."


End file.
